Michelle Rodriguez Back for ‘Fast and the Furious 6′; Joins Mel Gibson in ‘Machete Kills’

As was teased during a mid-credits scene in Fast Five, series alum Michelle Rodriguez will be reprising her role as Letty in Fast and the Furious 6 (a.k.a. Fast Six), which begins production in Europe next month.

M. Rodriguez has also been confirmed to reprise her part as Luz from Robert Rodriguez’ Machete in the sequel, Machete Kills. Mel Gibson (previously said to be circling the Machete followup) is reportedly now locked as one of the film’s villains.

The sixth Fast and the Furious flick will follow Fast Five further down the road (pun intended) to becoming a full-blown caper flick – where street car racing is merely part of the show, rather than the sole attraction. That partly accounts for why series stalwart screenwriter Chris Morgan and director Justin Lin will be shifting the action overseas, setting it against a virtually identical backdrop as that featured in titles like The Italian Job and Ocean’s Twelve (among others).

In addition to Michelle Rodriguez, whose involvement was confirmed by Variety, Fast and the Furious 6 will for certain feature returning players from Fast Five like Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – with familiar supporting players such as Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang and Gal Gadot as possibilities. There will be new acting blood too, in the form of Gina Carano (but not Jason Statham, as long rumored).

Before Michelle Rodriguez leaves the State to go work on Fast and the Furious 6, she will be re-collaborating with Robert Rodriguez (no relation) on Machete Kills, wherein the titular, tattooed ex-federale (Danny Trejo) takes on Mexico’s head drug cartel dealer, Mendez the Madman. Variety reports that Mel Gibson, as previously rumored, is onboard to play Luther Voz, “a cunning arms dealer and death merchant who aims to spread war across the planet by launching a missile.”

R. Rodriguez begins shooting Machete Kills this month, in the hopes that he’ll be able to complete production before setting to work on the recently-confirmed Sin City 2. If all goes according to plan, after Rodriguez wraps both of the aforementioned sequels, he may set to work on a Machete threequel (rumored to be titled Machete Kills Again in Space), wherein Gibson’s character could become the main antagonist who faces off against Trejo. How’s that for a crazy climax?

Are you looking forward to both/either/neither the new Fast and the Furious and Machete flick?

Fast and the Furious 6/Fast Six rides into theaters around the U.S. on May 24th, 2013.

We will let you know when Machete Kills lands an official release date.